Everybody is like "oh, they don't do good articulation" and "this figure can't be in very many poses" and all that. shut up you chowderheads! Appreciate McFarlene action figures for what they truly are- works of art. The detailing is truly amazing, I think they are more like statures with moveable limbs. And everyone's like "they are not a kids company" and "they are too dark" or whatevr- god, they did Shrek didn't they? They did Yellow Submarine! Leave McFarlene toys alone- personally prefer their products to some god ugly figure that is covered with those damn metal bolt joints and so much articulation that their arms and legs look like Pinnochio

master jedi

09-12-2001, 06:02 PM

McFarlane toys are known for the sculpting of their toys. If they put more articulation into their toys the figures would look bad and we don't wan't that.

bigbarada

09-12-2001, 07:20 PM

I would love McFarlane toys if not for the low quality of the materials used. They're not meant to be opened up and pieces either break off when you try to move them or even when you just try to take them out of the package. I've opened a couple of figures to find parts that should be movable super-glued in place! Meaning that they had broken before and the manufacturer glued them back together instead of sending them to the shredder as any toy company with pride in it's work would have done. This is not just me, I've known many people who have the exact same gripes.

I've seen this on some MAC toys also, namely a Lady Death figure with a glued on arm.

Now I will say that McFarlane has excellent sculpting and the toys do look nice however another key element for me is context. Even with SWAF I only buy the figures of the characters I am interested in. If I don't like the character then I don't buy the figure no matter how rare or valuable or well sculpted. With McFarlane stuff there's very little context, except for movie liscenses, thus little interest for me. ALthough I am really impressed with the Akira and Tenchi Muyo figures.

master jedi

09-12-2001, 09:04 PM

Originally posted by bigbarada
They're not meant to be opened up and pieces either break off when you try to move them or even when you just try to take them out of the package. I've opened a couple of figures to find parts that should be movable super-glued in place!

If you said they're not meant to be opened then why are you saying that you are opening them?

bigbarada

09-12-2001, 11:49 PM

Unfortunately, I discovered that they aren't meant to be opened AFTER I had already opened them and the pieces of crap fell apart! Silly me trying to open and play with a toy! (what was I thinking?)

I want to buy the Akira figures but am hesitant because of the low quality of previous McFarlane products.

GNT

09-13-2001, 03:44 AM

If they didn't break as soon as you took it out of the package I think they'd be good, They might have good sculpts and articulation but they can hardly stay together for 2 MINUTES!!!!!!!!!

Starfig873

09-13-2001, 07:35 AM

Look, I love McFarlane Toys. They made my beloved Ash *Army of Darkness* figure. BUT it took me THREE Ashs before I got one that didn't lose his arm when I popped him outta the packaging. Its well known McFarlane's plastic just seems cheap. But they look really nice...and thats about it...not much fun. :)

evenflow

09-13-2001, 08:26 AM

I think they are beautiful figures. The articulation does not really bother me, they usually look that good that it doesn't really matter.

Brave Sir Robin

09-13-2001, 10:23 AM

I own a good few that have not broken. I aquired a second-hand Scully figure from a comic shop for $1.50, and all of its body parts were fully intact. I would really like to buy the King Kong figure from Movie Maniacs- that thing is sweet!

JediTricks

09-13-2001, 11:24 AM

I like McFarlane's products, but to call them "Extreme Action Figures" is ludicrous in most cases, the only thing "extreme" about these action figures is the stench when you open the packaging! ;) They do look great, but their choices of articulation lately have been beyond ridiculous, there's no play value in a leg that can only be swiveled at the mid-thigh, "oooh! I can point his boots together OR apart! What play value!". They started out as real action figures with both great sculpting and plenty of useful articulation, but the last regular Spawn figure couldn't even STAND on his own!

And as for the issue of materials, McF definitely needs to get better plastics, the ones he uses are too cheap and brittle and often don't survive shipping or being removed from their bubble trays.

JediCole

09-13-2001, 02:57 PM

I have mixed feelings about MacFarlane toys, personally. I have to agree in some ways that the figures are often poorly constructed. I bought a Thing figure that I'll need to return because one of the spidery arms is broken inside the blister (luckily I didn't open it yet). However, what few items from their lines I have purchased and opened (X-Files, Austin Powers, McKenzie Bros.) I have been quite pleased with and have displayed proudly in my collection. I agree that these are more akin to affordable statues than "action figures". As to the matter of articulation, I feel that so many people are spoiled by articulation. I grew up with the original Star Wars figures and never had any issues with their lack of moveable elbows, waists, knees, etc. When figures like G.I. Joe and Buck Rogers explored increased articulation they came off looking too mechanical. I've recently seen ads for a 12" figure with individually articulated fingers! At that point it looks even less appealing because of the sacrifices necessary to achieve that level of articulation. In the case of figures based on some properties (X-Files, Austin Powers) I would take sculpts over articulation any day. But then I tend to display more than play at the age of 35, but even at 12 I had more than ample imagination to make up for lack of articulation.

Obi-Dan Kenobi

09-13-2001, 11:07 PM

Originally posted by JediTricks
I like McFarlane's products, but to call them "Extreme Action Figures" is ludicrous in most cases, the only thing "extreme" about these action figures is the stench when you open the packaging! ;)

Man, when I opened my first McFarlane figure (Edward Scissorhands) I was blown away by the stench! I always kind of enjoyed the scent of a fresh Star Wars figure, but that thing stank! Looks cool on my shelf, though.

Brave Sir Robin

09-17-2001, 11:33 AM

lol
actually that is a pretty good point about the stink. I opened my Shrek, and he has a "soft" plastic waistcoat and tunic. When they have a figure with the sort of "soft" plastic as opposed to the "hard" plastic it really does pong.